Tourism department prepares ‘information bank’ to guide tourists

In a bid to attract more tourists from other states and abroad, West Bengal Tourism Department is preparing ‘information bank’ which will provide a comprehensive plan and ideas to the people relating to all the tourist places in the state.

The information bank will be available on the website of the state tourism department where from people will get to know about the details of various tourist spots.

All the information will be there on the website relating to the procedure of the booking, how to go to the places, tariff and other related details.

The people will able to see the pictures of all the important places after logging on to the website.

A senior official of the state tourism department said that in the first phase the information bank will be done on the places like Darjeeling, Sunderbans, Sojnekhali, Bokkahli, Bankura, Terrocota Temple at Bishnupur, Digha, Udaypur, Sankarpur, Tajpur, Mandarmani, Hajarduari in Murshidabad, Iskon Mandir and Mayapur in Nadia, Cooch Behar Rajbari, Terrakota temple and Furfura Sharif in Hooghly.

After coming to power, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had laid enough stress to revamp the tourism sector in the state. A lot of development had taken place in Digha.

Banerjee had recently introduced helicopter service in Digha.

State Tourism Minister Bratya Basu said that main purpose of the project was to secure the first position in the tourism sector among other states.

The work was under process. Information was being collected and the data bank will soon be available in the department’s website.

The state government had already identified more than 12 sites for major tourism sector development. To improve the existing facilities and services as well as developing new ones, the state government has been tying up with private sectors.

A 207 acre land at Gajoldoba in Jalpaiguri has been developed as the gateway to Doors.

The tourism department has invested for the creation of new infrastructure in Jharkhali in South 24-Parganas and also for the road infrastructure development and electricity and drinking water facilities in various places.

The government also initiated a smoother inter-state road transit system by simplifying the permit system.